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Citrix Presentation Server Eligible for E-Rate

Citrix Presentation Server, made by application delivery infrastructure provider Citrix Systems, now qualifies for Universal Service Fund Schools and Library Fund (E-Rate) discounts and funding when used to connect classrooms to the Internet and school networks.

Hearkening back to the days of mainframes, but with a 21st Century twist, the Presentation Server takes all Web browsing, e-mail and other network-focal applications off the desktop and centralizes them in a school's data center, where all actual computing takes place. Student mouse clicks and keyboard strokes are input for those hosted applications. Monitors display what the centralized apps send them. Think "thin client," and the value proposition of lower software costs and reduced need for desktop muscle becomes clear--especially to schools in cash-strapped districts.

That's where the E-Rate discounts come into play. Administered by the FCC's Universal Service Administrative Company, the Universal Service Fund's mission is to ensure telecom and network connectivity remains affordable to rural and low-income individuals, rural health care providers, and eligible schools and libraries. The program is funded via telecom carriers and their customers (peruse your next phone bill to see how much you're contributing).

E-Rate funds for schools and libraries fall under four service categories, telecom services, Internet access, internal network connections, and maintenance of internal connectivity. The discounts on eligible costs range from 20 percent to 90 percent, depending on the level of poverty and the urban/rural status of the area. Schools applying for the discounts need to provide additional resources, such as the end user equipment, software, and other network elements (such as the Citrix Presentation Server) necessary for student connectivity.

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There is a revolution underway in K-12 classrooms as school districts and boards move to adopt a new style of classrooms and pedagogy focused on mobile learning. In order to succeed, the move to anywhere, anytime learning must be supported by a strong foundation in technology, particularly network infrastructure.
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